On Sunday, a source said that the emergency law in Syria that has been observed since 1963 is soon to be lifted. The decision came as a result of the violent anti-government protests that have been going on for days. Reem Haddad, spokesperson of the Syrian Information Minstry, said that the emergency law will indeed be lifted; she, however, did not say when.

The emergency law allows the armed forces of the government to make arrests without due process. The same law can also override the constitution and penal code. It has kept in prison people who have not been charged in court or even have a lawyer during interrogations.

The same source who is close to the government of Syria said that the cabinet members may resign next week after President Bashar al Assad appoints the new prime minister. The Syrian president is also reviewing the political parties law and is expected to submit a new draft of it to be presented to the public for approval via referendum.

On Saturday, a peaceful protest was held in Daraa as a way of mourning and remembering those who died on last week’s demonstrations. On the southern cities of Daraa, however, security forces allegedly open fired on the protesters, Friday, causing the death of dozens of people.

The president is expected to address his nation “anytime soon”, sources said. Chairman of the Senate’s Homeland Security Department, Sen. Joe Lieberman said that we will not stand by and allow Assad to mercilessly kill his people as his father did a couple of years ago.

Four journalists for the newspaper New York Times were reported missing while covering the war in Libya, the paper informed on Wednesday.

The newspaper said the journalists were last in touch with their editors from the town of Ajdabiya on Tuesday morning.

The journalists include Anthony Shadid and Stephen Farell. Shadid is a two-time winner of Pulitzer Prize while Farell is a videographer and reporter who was also kidnapped in 2009 by the Taliban group and was saved by the British commandos.

Also, two photographers are missing who include Lynsey Addario and Tyler Hicks, the New York Times reported.

The New York Times’ executive editor Bill Keller said they have already talked with the Libyan government officials in Tripoli. The Libyan officials said they are trying to determine the journalists’ whereabouts.

Keller said the government of Libya had assured them that the journalists would be freed promptly and unharmed once they have known that they are captured.

Last week, a reporter from Brazil was released by the government forces in Libya. However, a journalist from the newspaper Guardian in Brazil is still missing.

A news team from BBC also informed last week that it had been arrested at a checkpoint by the security forces in Libya. They said they were beaten and submitted to mock execution.

A revolt occurred in Libya last month, a time when Muammar Gaddafi, Libyan leader since 1969, lost control of a large group in the country. However, Gadaffi’s security forces have battled back since then.